Ryokan Sawanoya

Friendly and family-run, this Japanese inn in the retro Yanaka district offers a budget-friendly version of the traditional ryokan experience.

While high-end ryokan are all about luxury, what you get here is a simple tatami-mat guestroom, with futon beds put out at night, plus access to a pair of modest hot-spring baths.

Because the Sawanoya doesn’t come with the non-negotiable multi-course kaiseki-ryori dinner served in plusher inns, you also get an inn that’s great for a multi-night stay – ideal if you want to immerse yourself in Yanaka and other parts of Tokyo’s older, down-to-earth northeast.